In accordance with the Charter, Section 210A, the Council shall organize at 8:00 p.m. the first Monday of January of each year, except that if the first Monday is a legal holiday, the organization meeting shall be held on the first day following which is not a legal holiday. The Chairman or the Vice Chairman of the previous year's Council, if still in office, shall preside at the organization meeting until new officers are elected as provided in the Charter. Should neither the Chairman nor the Vice Chairman of the previous year continue as a Council member, or not attend the organizational meeting, the Township Manager shall serve as temporary Chairman for the election of officers. The order of business shall be as follows:
A. 
An oath of office shall be required by newly elected officials and the swearing in of new Council members should be the first order of business.
B. 
The Chairman for the current year shall be elected by a majority vote of Council members present, provided that a quorum is in attendance. In the event that a Chairman cannot be elected due to a tie vote, the Chairman or Vice Chairman from the previous year shall continue as Chairman, at the pleasure of Council.
C. 
A Vice Chairman shall likewise be elected.
D. 
The Township Manager shall serve as Secretary of the Council and keep its minutes and other records, provided that the Manager may select a member of the administrative staff to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Council and perform the clerical functions of the office.
E. 
The Council shall adopt, by resolution, a schedule of regular meetings for the year, which schedule shall be posted prominently at the Township Building. Any changes in the schedule of meetings shall be posted at the Township Building at least 12 hours in advance of any meeting date changed in accordance with the Charter, Section 210B(2).
F. 
When the organizational matters enumerated above have been completed, Council shall proceed with the regular business of the meeting which shall be set forth in the agenda in accordance with the Charter, Section 210B(3)(b).
Should the Council be unable to organize at the annual organization meeting for lack of a quorum, only essential business shall be conducted until Council has been organized in accordance with the Charter.
Council shall meet regularly, at least monthly, according to the schedule of regular meetings adopted at the annual organization meeting as provided in § 4-5D above.
Special meetings may be held on the call of the Chairman or petition of a majority of the Council members, with at least 12 hours' notice in advance of such meeting delivered to the home address of each Council member. In addition, attempts should be made by telephone to contact Council members. An agenda of the matters to be considered at such special meeting will be included in the meeting notice, and the business of the special meeting will be limited to the matters stated in the notice and agenda. Should any member of Council, other than the Chairman, desire to call a special meeting against the wishes of, or in the absence of, the Chairman, such member shall obtain the signatures of a majority of the Council members to petition for such special meeting, stating the subject of the meeting, which petition shall be delivered to the Township Manager. Upon receipt of such petition, the Manager shall cause a notice of the meeting, with agenda, to be delivered to the home address of each Council member and a copy of same to be duly posted at the Township Building. If the purpose of the meeting is to adopt an emergency ordinance as set forth in the Charter, Section 213C, the requirement of at least 12 hours' advance notice may be waived, provided that advance notice is provided as quickly as possible consistent with the nature of the emergency.
Council's rules of procedure shall be in such detail as the Council chooses to provide but will include the following provisions consistent with the Charter and normal good practice to expedite the conduct of business:
A. 
Open public meetings.
(1) 
All meetings of Council, except executive sessions for purposes authorized by general law, shall be open to the public and reasonable opportunity shall be given for the public to speak on any matter on the agenda for official action before official action is taken. Unless specifically provided in the rules of procedure, the Chairman may limit the time each person may speak, announcing in advance the rule to be followed on this point, and giving equal time to all who want to be heard, except that when a group of persons desires to address Council on the same subject matter, the Chairman shall request that one spokesman be chosen by the group to address the Council, and may limit the number of persons addressing the Council on the same matter so as to avoid unnecessary repetition, so long as all opposing points of view have had opportunity to present their position.
(2) 
Any citizen desiring to speak formally to the Council on any matter shall be given an opportunity to be heard by notifying the Township Manager in writing at least 24 hours in advance of the time of the meeting of the subject on which such citizen desires to be heard, and the Township Manager shall make provision early in the meeting for including such item in the agenda for the meeting. The Council may limit in the rules of procedure the amount of time granted for such expression of views, but a reasonable amount of time shall be granted for such citizen to present the point desired to be expressed.
(3) 
Citizens attending meetings of Council will be expected to follow reasonable rules of decorum. Any person making insulting, threatening or other offensive remarks against any person or against public order and security while at Council meetings shall be denied by the presiding officer further audience at the meeting, and should such disruption continue, shall be denied attendance at the meeting. Any ruling of the presiding officer in this regard may be reversed by a majority vote of the Council members present on motion of any Council member.
B. 
Council member participation.
(1) 
The Chairman shall be responsible for the orderly conduct of business at each Council meeting and shall preserve order and decorum at such meetings. The Chairman shall announce all decisions of Council and shall decide all questions of order without debate, subject to an appeal by any Council member. Any ruling by the Chairman may be overruled by a majority of the Council members present.
(2) 
Every member of Council desiring to speak shall address the Chair and, upon recognition by the presiding officer, shall confine remarks to the question under debate, avoiding all indecorous language or reference to personalities. When two or more members request the floor at the same time, the Chairman shall name the one entitled to speak. A member of the Council, once recognized by the Chairman, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it is for the purpose of calling such person to order. If a member of the Council, while speaking, is called to order, that person shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined.
(3) 
The roll of members shall be called alphabetically, except that the Chairman shall be called last.
All official actions of Council shall be by the adoption of an ordinance, resolution, or motion at an open public meeting in the presence of a quorum, in accordance with the Charter, Section 211. The self-executing provisions of the Charter, Section 213, shall govern the consideration and adoption of ordinances.
A. 
In accordance with the Charter, Section 210B(3)(a), every public meeting of Council, except a meeting to enact an emergency ordinance, shall be conducted in the order of an agenda prepared in advance of the meeting and which is available to the public at least eight hours prior to the start of the meeting, and copies of which shall be distributed to the public in attendance at the meeting. The Chairman, with consent of a majority of the Council members present, may change the order of business upon request or by his own initiative in order to expedite the meeting or accommodate any parties participating in the meeting.
B. 
The Chairman of Council, or his designee, shall be responsible for preparing the agenda for meetings. Council members desiring to have items included in the agenda shall advise the Township Manager of such desire at least two working days in advance of the time of the meeting. No items shall be added to the announced agenda for the meeting except by an affirmative vote of a majority of the total Council members. The order of business for each regular meeting shall be as follows:
(1) 
If no quorum is present, the Chairman shall declare a recess for a period no longer than one hour, and if a quorum has not developed by that time, the Chairman shall declare the meeting adjourned.
(2) 
Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting.
(3) 
Hearing from the public on any matters not included in the agenda for the meeting on which any citizen has expressed a desire to be heard.
(4) 
Reports of municipal officials, committees or advisory groups, the order to be specified in the agenda.
(5) 
Unfinished business, with each item specified in order in the agenda.
(6) 
New business, with each item specified in order in the agenda.
(7) 
Adjournment.